Sales catalogue: C. J. Stewart

Date:: 20th century

Reference:: WA/HMM/CM/Sal/52/126

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue: C. J. Stewart. Source: Wellcome Collection.

157/164 page 129

Speculum Humane Salbationts: LE PLUS ANCIEN MONUMENT DE LA XYLOGRAPHIE ET DE LA TYPOGRAPHIE REUNIES. (638 7.) REPRODUIT EN FAC-SIMILE, AVEC INTRODUCTION HISTORIQUE ET BIBLIOGRAPHIQUE PAR J. Pa. BERJEAU. Only 155 Copies printed. In small Folio, cloth, price 41. 4s. THE original block-book is supposed to have been printed about 1435, and is of the utmost rarity, the British Museum possessing only one copy. The Fac-simile, which is printed on paper of precisely the same tint and texture as that of the original, occupies 63 leaves in double columns, with 116 distinct designs, and a reproduction of the Text in common type is added, so that, for the first time, modern readers may peruse it without difficulty. The cuts furnish admirable hints for mural paintings or stained glass windows. “The Speculum Humane Salvationis. . . . singularly interesting from the fact of its ex- hibiting several pages of block-printing and several of printing from moveable types in the same volume. It is from this work, and the Museum copy of it, that the elegant and accu- rate fac-simile now before us has been made by M. Berjeau.” <Athencwm. “From the learned Introduction which M. Berjeau has prefixed to his fac-simile repro- duction, we perceive the importance that necessarily attaches to the present block-book above its two predecessors, and indeed all others, in the fact that it offers the earliest known example of block-printing and printing from moveable type in one and the same volume. ... The author of the Speculum can never be charged with that grossness of language and immoral imagery which are a stain upon many of the theological works of the middle ages.” Literary Gazette. “We trust that M. Berjeau’s adoption of the language which is most familiar to himself, and which ought not to be a difficulty to any English scholar, may not prove any impedi- ment to the circulation of a work equally valuable as a literary essay and as the fac-simile of a most interestitig ‘incunabulum.’” Saturday Review. “There are several aspects in which a book like this may be viewed. We may consider it as a fac-simile, and admire the perfection of modern art, by which the productions of other ages are imitated with extraordinary accuracy. ... Itis very interesting as an example of the state of wood-engraving some four hundred and thirty years ago.... It also indicates that religious teaching was not altogether based on the Bible. For not only are the subjects drawn from the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha, but there are a few from other sources. ... Itis remarkable asa specimen of block-printing, and perhaps even more so as combining at the same time the most ancient example of type- printing now extant. Part of it, and of course every illustration, is from wood-blocks, but part of itis printed with moveable type. During its execution the wood-engraver was superseded by the type-founder, and that which was begun as a block-book ended as letter- press. The bibliography of the subject is ubly haudled by the editor in a copious intro- duction. ... Much very interesting matter is contained in this introduction, and it is a valuable contribution to the early history of the art of printing.* “Tt is worthy of notice that the ink of the plates and the whole portion printed from the wooden blocksistruly called ‘a brown paleand thinink ; whereas the ink used with the me- tallic type is of a beautiful and rich black.’ These differences, and all other peculiarities of the original copy, have been produced with rare fidelity and success. And as a work of art, therefore, and as a literary monument of a less privileged age, we heartily commend the volume, and have much pleasure in calling to it the attention of our readers. Neither labour, skill, nor money, have been spared in its production. “ Altogether, we know of no book of the kind which the true lover of curious books would prefer to possess, for next to the original he must covet such a fac-simile as this. It is true the sum of four guineas is a high price to pay, but not too much by a farthing for such a work of Art. Its value for the purposes of study and comparison will be evident at a glance to the bibliographer ; upon these points, however, it is unnecessary to enlarge ; and we shall be surprised if any of the one hundred and fifty-five copies, to which the impression is limited, remain long unsold.” Journal of Sacred Literature. * The “INTRODUCTION” may be had separately. 4to, in cloth, price 10s. 6d.

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